Personal care absorbent articles, such as diapers, are generally categorized and sized according to the weight of the intended wearer of the absorbent article. A primary function of personal care absorbent articles is to absorb and retain body exudates, such as urine and fecal material, with additional desired attributes including low leakage of the body exudates from the absorbent article and a dry feel to the wearer of the absorbent article. To accomplish these tasks, personal care absorbent articles generally have components such as a waist fastening system, elastic leg cuffs, and elastic waistbands.
A good fit of the personal care absorbent article, such as a diaper, can be found when a snug fit of the absorbent article on the wearer does not leave gaps between the absorbent article and the skin of the wearer and does not leave indentations on the skin of the wearer upon removal of the absorbent article. How well the absorbent article fits at the waist and leg openings depends to a great degree upon the ratio of the waist circumference to the leg circumference of the wearer of the absorbent article. If a wearer, such as a baby, has a large ratio of waist circumference to leg circumference, the large ratio will prevent the absorbent article, such as a diaper, from obtaining a snug fit at the leg opening without over tightening the diaper at the waist. If the ratio of waist circumference to leg circumference is low, the opposite will be true. An additional situation which can result in poor fit of the absorbent article can occur when a wearer of the absorbent article experiences rapid change in body shape without an overall change in weight. Such changes in body shape can result in poor fit of the absorbent articles about the legs of the wearer. An absorbent article, therefore, that fits the wearer early on may no longer fit correctly in the legs even though the weight of the wearer has not changed and the absorbent article is sized for the weight of the wearer. A poor fit of the absorbent article can result in leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
The waist fastening system, elastic leg cuffs, and elastic waist bands have been provided to absorbent articles in an effort to minimize leakage of body exudates from the absorbent articles. Manufacturers, however, generally set the tension in the elastic leg cuffs and waist bands and then place each out of reach of the user, such as a diaperer or wearer. The user of the absorbent article, therefore, has generally been unable to tighten or loosen the elastic leg cuffs and waist bands because of their construction.
There is a need for an absorbent article which can provide a better fit of the absorbent article about the legs of the wearer. There is a need for an absorbent article which can allow the user to adjust the fit of the absorbent article about the wearer of the absorbent article. There is a need for an absorbent article which can allow for independent adjustment of the leg openings of the absorbent article.